In 1999, the first A Series of Unfortunate Events book by unknown author Lemony Snicket (later revealed as Daniel Handler) debuted. Two decades later, the franchise has spawned 13 books, a four-part prequel series, a feature-length movie, and, premiering Friday (January 13), a new Netflix show.

Following three orphans placed under the care of an evil relative who only wants their fortune, the series's first season makes its way through the first four books — The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, The Wide Window, and The Miserable Mill — and a hint of Book 5 (The Austere Academy) in the finale.

The show's campiness and deadpan one-liners perfectly nail Handler's whimsical writing, and it's way more diverse than the 2004 film adaptation starring Jim Carrey. In case you need a refresher because it's probably been a hot minute since you've read the books, here are all the main characters from the first season (sans spoiler-y ones) to get you started before you binge.

The narrator of our sordid tale, Snicket frequently pops into the frame and breaks the fourth wall, giving anecdotal info about the Baudelaires' lives. He's been researching their saga for a long time.

The vile villain of the story, the unibrowed Count Olaf (with his evil horde of thespians) will stop at nothing to get his hands on the Baudelaire orphans' fortune. The tattoo of an eye on his left ankle is his most defining characteristic.

Violet Baudelaire (Malina Weissman)

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The eldest Baudelaire is an avid inventor with a knack for mechanical engineering.

Klaus Baudelaire (Louis Hynes)

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The middle Baudelaire is a voracious reader and researcher, as well as a walking dictionary.

Sunny Baudelaire (Presley Smith)

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The youngest Baudelaire speaks a language only her siblings understand and has a penchant for biting hard things.

She's an optometrist who practices near the mill, helping Olaf with a scheme. (Fun fact: O'Hara played Justice Strauss in the movie adaptation of the books.)

Shirley St. Ives (Neil Patrick Harris)

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Olaf dons a wig and dress to become Shirley, Dr. Orwell's secretary.

Eleanora Poe (Cleo King)

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She is Poe's wife and the editor-in-chief of The Daily Punctilio.

Jacquelyn (Sara Canning)

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Jacquelyn has a few pivotal scenes that suggest she was adapted and renamed from a minor character in the books into one who plays a much bigger role in the Baudelaire mystery. For the sake of spoilers, we'll keep her part hush-hush, but know she's on the orphans' side and moonlighted as Poe's secretary for a hot second.